In a historic decision, the Florida Supreme Court has ruled that lawmakers and legislative staff can give depositions in an ongoing lawsuit challenging Florida’s 2012 redistricting process.

Those maps were challenged by a coalition of groups that argued they favored Republicans, which is at odds with new constitutional amendments aimed at, in part, removing politics from the redistricting process.

After the coalition uncovered emails between legislative staff and third-party political groups, it tried to depose state redistricting staff.

Attorneys for the House and Senate filed a motion arguing legislative staff and lawmakers are protected by “legislative privilege,” or the legal philosophy that staff can’t be taken to court or face deposition for actions taken conducting state business.

A Leon County court sided with the coalition, an opinion that was overturned the First District Court of Appeals.

The 5-2 Supreme Court decision, released Friday, came with strongly worded dissent from Justice Charles Canady, who said the ruling was unprecedented.

“For the first time in the recorded history of our Republic, a court has ruled that state legislators are required to submit to interrogation…oncerning their legislative activities,” he wrote.

@Don….. The point is the Republican controlled Legislature has been defying the Constitution of the State of Florida which mandates fair districting. I agree with your statements and premise and maybe this ruling will now force the roaches into the light to explain why they refused to follow the law.

Why do we have this sort of problem every time redistricting rolls around. Why don't we have a computer program that takes the information available and redistrict according to the facts and not someone's wishes and desires? This happens all the time. If its not the Republicans, who have been in charge for years, it is the Democrats when they take over. In this day and time, with all the programs that are available, its time to modernize the system and stop this foolishness. This should be done fairly but its not and never will be so long as human beings make the decisions.